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Thursday, 21 November 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-03-19Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Culture & Tourism minister announces multiple-entry visas for Russians, during visit to MoscowMoscow (ANA-MPA/Th. Avgerinos) -- Greece will grant multiple-entry visas for 6-12 months and up to five years to Russian citizens, Greek culture and tourism minister Pavlos Geroulanos announced late Thursday in statements to the local press upon his arrival in Moscow for a two-day working visit.Noting that Greece, as a Schengen member, is required to abide with specific rules and regulations, and therefore cannot abolish the visa fees, he said the government has decided to facilitate Russian visitors in a few directions, in statements to ITAR-TASS news agency. He explained that 6-12 month multiple entry visas will be issued to "friends of Greece", namely those who visit Greece frequently or those who, after their first trip, wish to visit Greece again in the same year, while visas of up to a 5-year duration will be issued to visitors known to the Greek authorities who visit Greece chiefly for business reasons. [02] Main points of new tax billANA-MPA/A bill envisaging the reform of Greece's taxation system will be tabled by the government in parliament next Tuesday.The main principles of the draft law were presented to by finance minister George Papaconstantinou to the Inner Cabinet on Thursday. With the new tax bill, the government will introduce a single, more progressive tax scale for all incomes aimed at redistributing tax burdens between low and medium incomes, lowering tax burdens for personal incomes up to 40,000 euros and introducing a 45 percent tax scale for incomes higher than 100,000 euros. It also envisages incentives to boost growth, preserving and increasing job positions and introducing a 3-year tax-exemption program for the creation and operation of new businesses by people aged up to 35 years. The new bill also introduces incentives to boost environmental protection, including incentives for energy efficiency improvement of buildings, and protection of the country's architectural heritage. It also offers discounts on taxable earnings for enterprises investing in technology and innovation, while part of profits resulting from the sale of goods integrating international patents will be tax-e [03] ASE opening: DeclineEquity prices were declining at the opening of trade on Friday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with the basic share price index down 0.23 percent, standing at 2,014.99 points at 11:15 a.m., and turnover at 34.219 million euros.Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Public Utilities, up 0.40 percent; and Raw Materials, up 0.25 percent. The biggest losses were in Health, down 1.60 percent; Personal and Household Goods, down 1.45 percent. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.22 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.69 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.39 percent. Of the stocks moved, 27 were up, 48 were down, and 25 were unchanged. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |